Marvel's 'Secret Wars' Comic Book Adds Extra Issue

Alex Ross/Marvel Entertainment

Finale of event series will now follow launch of publisher's 'All-New All-Different' relaunch.

Marvel Entertainment's self-proclaimed biggest event ever just got a little bigger, with the announcement Wednesday that its Secret Wars comic book series is being expanded to nine issues instead of the originally announced eight.

Secret Wars takes place in an alternate reality made up of the remains of the Marvel Universe that was, ruled over by Doctor Doom after the collapse of reality; the series in the company's October All-New, All-Different Marvel publishing relaunch will spin out of a reborn reality created at the end of the storyline — an ending that will now following the beginning of the relaunch.

The new issue, by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic, will be released in December, two months after the launch of All-New All-Different Marvel, the publishing relaunch that was intended to follow the conclusion of the series, originally scheduled for early October. The series has suffered some delays from its original schedule prior to the announcement of this extension.

"This extra issue will not affect any of the new launches as part of All-New, All-Different Marvel," Marvel svp sales & marketing David Gabriel said in a statement accompanying the announcement, adding that "there might be a surprise or two left over from Battleworld" for fans in the final issues that haven't been revealed in the ANAD Marvel launches.